2578

Two Silver Ingots. One is crudely stamped "M S M Co," a

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:1,200.00 - 2,000.00 USD
Two Silver Ingots. One is crudely stamped  M S M Co,  a
<B>Two Silver Ingots.</B></I> One is crudely stamped "M S M Co," as if to indicate a Silver Mining Company whose name began with an "M," and the other is stamped 999 fine, "F. W. C."<BR> Both ingots bear attributes that question their age. At the same time, one must keep an open mind, because many early ingots are quite crude, and often what appears obvious, or obviously wrong, has a reasonable explanation.<BR> The FWC ingot carries three initials unique to western assayers. Only F. W. Clark, an assayer in Golden, Colorado in 1880 carries those specific initials. No other western assayer, out of nearly 6,000 entries in a private data base, carries those initials. It should be noted, however, that the initials could also be for a mine owner or superintendent, though most are of the assayer that made the ingot. The 999 fine is a problem. Most western assayers did not refine silver, but it is not out of the question. Numerous professional papers of the period instruct assayers in the science of refining. It was not necessary, however, because the U.S. branch mints and U.S. assay offices generally did not pay a premium for refined metal to make it worthwhile. It was sometimes, though rarely, done for expositions.<BR> The MSMCo silver ingot could be any mining company with the first initial of M. It also has problems, lacking the fineness and weight, while carrying the dollar amount.<BR><I>From The Kagin Reference Collection of Frontier Ingots.</B></I>